Reconciliation
by BlondeChick2009
Summary: Based after "Desperately Seeking Serena" What if Serena had woken up somewhere else. What if she had woken up alone...or so she thought? Who will rescue her? Rated for language and hinted themes. First GG fanfic, PLEASE review! Enjoy!
1. Ties That Bind

A/N: I realize it's short and it may be a bit rushed (not sure, let me know!) but it's far from done! And I'm not sure where relationships will go...but I know Serena and Chuck won't become romantic (just thought I'd clear that up!) Please, critisim and comments are greatly apreciated. OWN NO CHARACTERS...which is a real shame when it comes to Chuck, honesly... ; ) Thank you to gleechild for beta-reading!

Reconciliation

_"To the new you," came Georgina's false testament, falling unnoticed on Serena's ears. _

_"To the new me!" Smiled content, yet slightly bemused Serena, unaware of her old friend's lie._

Serena's silver eyes fluttered open.

Her hand flew automatically to her head, where a monstrous pain was making its presence known. The tiled ceiling stared blandly back at her. "What's going on?" She asked softly, tongue thick and lethargic in her mouth. She slowly rose, wincing at the ache in her temples.

Glancing around, Serena realized the horrible truth straight away. She had no idea where she was. Panicking, she stumbled across the room to find a small bathroom situated in a small corner. The lights glared harshly in her eyes and she blinked furiously, refusing to hyperventilate. She reentered the main room. It was tiny, cramped and just plain atrocious. The wall was crumbling and the carpet was peeling. Water dripped from the pipes, making nasty brown stains appear on the curtains. The beds (there were two) were teeny and the stuffing was falling out.

"Georgie?" She called hopefully, although she actually wanted to strangle the girl. _Where are you? _Serena started as the door to the tiny hotel room clicked open. Serena spun around ready to scream blasphemy at her _former _friend when she stopped dead.

"Ah! You're awake! I made reservations for breakfast."

Serena stared, horrified, at the man who had just entered. On a normal, carefree, She-and-Blair-hitting-the-scenes kind of day, Serena would have found this guy incredibly stunning; in fact, she wondered how he could have ended up in a place like this. Now she looked at him as if he was born devoid of light, perhaps in a cave where the foulest creatures roam.

His dark brown hair fell over his eyes in a way that would make any girl desperate to brush it back. His nose and mouth were both straight and normal sized, and his cheekbones were extremely well defined.

He was smiling now, revealing perfect teeth and adorable dimples. He also looked like he was naturally bashful, because he was hesitant with his eye contact, but not in a way to suggest he did anything wrong.

"You're a real pig, you jackass," Serena muttered as she grabbed her purse and fled the room.

"Wait, what?" The man ran after her and grabbed her shoulder. "What's wrong, Serena?"

"Oh! So you know my name?" Serena practically shrieked; the guy flinched. "So how is it I have no idea who _you_ are or where the fuck I am?"

Passersby threw reproachful looks at Serena, and resolutely hurried away. Jackass, as he was now so happily dubbed, let her arm go with confusion.

"What?" He repeated for the third time, "I'm Kyle, we met last night!"

"And you decided it would be fun to take advantage of me and get laid just because I was out of it?" Serena was in hysterics now, scrambling down the stairs. Kyle followed.

"Nothing happened!" Kyle was panicking, afraid of the legal actions undoubtedly running through her head. "We just ended up sharing a room! I didn't touch you; you told me you needed a place to stay!"

Serena stopped. She frowned and looked deep into his hazel eyes, debating. "Where's Georgina?" Kyle sighed.

"Your overly friendly pal? She hooked up with two guys I don't know. And I don't know where they went," he added as Serena opened her mouth angrily.

"Fine, just fuck off," Serena made a mad dash to the front foyer. Once she reached a chair she sat down and cried. She had never cried so much in her life, at least, not over something as terrifying as this. She looked at the concierge (who just looked like some schmo of the streets) and noticed the man looking uncomfortable at her sudden appearance. People were going to think the hotel had made this poor girl the total wreck she was.

"Do you need assistance, ma'am?" He asked reluctantly; teenage hormones weren't his cup of tea.

Serena sniffled. "No," she mumbled. _What am I going to do? Dan's in his SAT—Oh my god! I'm missing the SATs! _At this revelation, Serena began sobbing again. All of her hard work was for naught. She had changed her life so successfully, only to be derailed by some junkie slut who had decided to pay a visit to her old haunts.

She began shaking at this point, and was attracting several leers from greasy looking, beer-bellied men in a corner smoking what looked to be joints. One even crooked a finger in her direction and patted his leg.

Serena shuddered and closed her eyes. And then she knew what to do, and scolded herself for not comprehending enough to do it before. She reached into her purse and grabbed her Blackberry. Flipping the cover, she prayed for a signal. The five little bars were the sweetest things she'd ever seen. She gasped and sobbed as she dialed the number she had been typing more and more as of late. It rang.

And rang.

And rang. "Come on," Serena whimpered.

"Hello?" Came a muffled reply.

"Chuck, it's me."

"Sis! Missing me already? Ya know, we could have had a slumber party-,"

"I need your help," Serena choked out, her voice trembling.

Silence was the only response.

"Chuck?"

"What happened?" Chuck's protective mode was kicking in, and when it did, whoever was hurting his friends would be one sorry son of a bitch.

"I don't know where I am, Georgina isn't here, I woke up alone, but some guy apparently spent the night with me, and I don't remember anything!" Although she couldn't see it, Chuck was already pulling his clothes on and calling his limo around.

"Okay, Serena, I need you to figure out where you are. What's the name of the hotel?"

Serena asked the guy behind the counter.

"Cal's Motel…you're in the Bronx," he stated.

"I'm in the Bronx!" She wailed pitifully into the phone.

"Okay, okay," Chuck murmured, "Stay calm, what is the hotel called?" He was in his limo, already on his way.

"Cal's Motel," Serena sniffed.

Chuck flinched at the tacky sounding name. "I'm coming. Just, stay inside, and talk to no one, understand?"

"Please just hurry," she whispered and hung up. Serena took a deep breath and let it out. She hugged herself, the only reassuring, defense she had. _Please hurry_ she repeated in her mind.

Three of the four sleaze-balls in the corner had disappeared, and the remaining one was still staring hungrily at her. She hugged herself closer and shut her eyes tight.

Twenty minutes had come and gone. Time ticked away in slow, agonizing seconds as Serena waited, watching the street outside for the familiar vehicle. _How ironic _she thought, _I'm depending on the biggest sleaze I know to save me from these sleazes. _She smiled at her little joke.

"That's right girly, you have nothing to cry about now that I'm here." The rank, acrid stench of alcohol and marijuana filled Serena's nostrils as a big, sweaty arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Get off me," Serena seethed in the toughest voice she could muster.

"I have no intentions of doing so," he breathed in her ear, his other arm dragging her to her feet. He pushed her against the wall. Heart pounding quite audibly, Serena squeaked at his roughness. She glanced over his shoulder and saw that the concierge was gone. _Oh God help me._

The chubby man pulled her along into a deserted stairwell while she tried in vain to get away. "Get off or I'll start screaming," she threatened heatedly.

"Oh, I don't mind," whispered the man as he drew closer. Serena's stomach lurched spastically.

"But I do."

Serena's heart leapt.

Chuck spun the man around and delivered a punch that Serena never thought possible from him. The guy fell against the stairs. Serena jumped over him and stepped behind Chuck as he bent down to eye level with the pervert.

"If I ever catch you again…anywhere in a ten mile radius of her, I'll kill you," he hissed quietly.

"What the hell do you know pretty boy? What can you do about it?" The man spat on the ground at Chuck's feet.

Chuck's hands shot forward and wrapped around the man's collar. He pulled him face to face, and Serena was amazed he could stand the smell.

"I'm Chuck Bass you son of a bitch," he let him go roughly and began to turn around, "I do whatever the fuck I want."

He removed his scarf and placed it around Serena's shoulders, along with his arm and led her away.

Once in the limo, Serena buried her face in Chuck's shoulder and cried. He wrapped his arms around her and gave the direction to take her to her apartment.

He let her cry as long as she wanted, just holding her close. When she finally stopped, she wiped her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder. "Thank you," she murmured.

"You're welcome," he said, laying his head on hers. "I still haven't heard from Georgina, what happened?"

"I don't know," Serena, recalled, "All I had last night was a diet coke! I got up to call Dan, and then she made a toast, claiming that I was her hero for turning my life around."

Chuck snort disbelievingly. "Wait, you never had alcohol?"

"I must have…I never talked to any guys before hand, they couldn't have slipped me anything."

"It didn't have to be a guy, Serena."

"But then-," Serena trailed off as the realization hit her. And it made her want to cry more. The fact that a former friend would ever drug her for any reason was too much to bear. She yelled for the driver to stop and flung open the door. At the curb, she vomited violently, her entire body wracked with spasms.

Chuck held her hair as she finished. Physical pains, emotional pains, every kind of pain coursed through her. Her spirit was diminishing.

"She was my friend!" She screamed, crying and choking.

"Shh," Chuck rocked her back and forth. "Serena, you can't do this, I'll track her down and get some answers." And he would, too.

As they reached her building, Serena untangled herself form Chuck. "Thanks again," she smiled tiredly.

"You're sure you don't want me to come up?"

"Yeah, I just need some sleep."

"Okay, call me if you need anything," he smiled back.

"Sure, and Chuck?" she grinned, "Thanks bro."

Chuck's eyes flashed as his lighter side came rushing back. "Oh, no problem. I have some ways in which you can, uh, _repay _me," he smiled laughingly.

"Oh shut up," Serena laughed, and then added, "Come up and see me sometime," in her sultriest voice.

Chuck started and cleared his throat. He barked directions at the driver who pulled away.

Serena chuckled.

"He hates it when he loses control."

She turned towards her building.

"As for you G…as for you."


	2. The Games We Play

Chapter 2: The Games We Play

Chapter 2: The Games We Play

**Gossip Girl here, and I know you've all been dying for the latest word on New York's finest. Yet all of the greats have needed their fair share of rest and relaxation. I mean, where would we be if Manolo Blahnik became too stressed to create the most wonderful brand of shoe in the world, and then decided to slap together some kind of sick, tacky…I can't even finish it.**

**Anywho, as some of you may know, G is back and ready to pick up where she left off: Ruining S's Life. Seems that someone got a little bored whoring around Sweden or wherever the hell she was before, and has decided to grace us with her **_**agreeable **_**presence once again. I think she's afraid that we've forgotten her. I'm not sure if we need reminding…**

**Till a bigger bomb drops from her arrival…which shouldn't be long…you know you love me XOXO Gossip Girl.**

Blair Waldorf stared at the newest update for several long minutes. That nasty little initial kept floating in her vision, almost mockingly. _Georgina? Georgina Sparks? Back? _A flare of jealousy surged through her as she thought back to a year ago.

Georgina and Serena. Serena and Georgina. The two most party-crashing, smile-flashing, alcohol-consuming It Girls that had ever traveled New York. Their names were as interchangeable and famous as Blair and Nate's had been when they were a couple…except S and G were probably more infamous, which made Blair angry.

Serena had come back to such amounts of slander and social neglect from Blair and her old cronies that no one ever thought she'd be on top again. But on top she was. Making a full one-eighty, Serena clawed her way back without the use of dirty tactics and vicious lies. She had even earned herself an amazingly sweet boyfriend, and, although she would never admit it, Blair was kind of jealous of Serena for that. Not that she liked Dan in that way, it was just that she wished she had someone as worshipful as he was to Serena. Blair had thought Nate was that person…but evidently not. And Chuck…he had _started _out that way, but it ended when Blair shunned him to the side. But he had deserved it.

Blair shook her head to rid it of all things…past…save for G. If a little initial could cause such hatred in Blair, she almost felt sorry for the real girl if they ever crossed paths.

She reached for her phone and dialed Serena's number. It was a Monday morning after all, and Serena had yet explained herself for missing the SATs. Her no-show made Blair suspect that Georgina had already found the poor girl and was having her desired effect.

The phone rang seven times before an overwhelmed sounding voice answered, "Hello?"

"S, it's me," Blair chirped, faking cheerfulness.

"Oh, hey Blair," Serena puffed, "What's up?"

"Are you _running_?" Blair asked, appalled at the gasps being admitted by her friend.

"What? No, I'm-," Blair held the phone away from her ear as Serena cursed at someone on the other end.

"S? Is that Chuck? Tell him to go screw himself (though I'm sure he's found away already) this is important!" Blair's eyes narrowed coldly as Serena continued yelling at the unknown source.

"No, just some loser…can't you give Chuck a break?" Serena snapped defensively, returning to the phone.

"WHAT?" Blair yelled, shocked and disgusted that her best friend was sticking up for the bastard.

"Look, can we just talk on the way to school? I'm almost to your place."

"Fine, but why the hell are you defend-," Blair stared, eyes wide and mouth open, at her phone.

"Oh, you do _not_ hang up on Blair Waldorf."

Ten minutes later, Serena was banging her way into Blair's apartment. Blair glanced up briefly from her magazine, otherwise ignoring the frustrated girl.

"Okay, ready to go?" Serena asked.

"I guess so," Blair responded lightly, grabbing up her things and heading for the door, purposefully shouldering Serena out of the way.

Serena followed Blair's movements with confusion. "B?"

"Hmm?" Blair strategically replied.

"Why are you being bitchy?"

Blair whipped around. "Excuse me?" She pouted innocently.

"You heard me."

"Let's just go, ok?" Blair nearly smirked…Serena was going to break any minute now.

"BLAIR!"

"Don't like the vacuity, do you?" Blair spat, reveling in her use of an SAT word she had come across.

"What? What does that even mean?"

"Exactly! You weren't present at the test Saturday, so you wouldn't know!"

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?"

"No," Blair smiled sweetly and began walking towards the main doors they had reached finally.

"Okay! I'll talk!"

"Good," Blair linked her arm through Serena's and turned her full attention to her, "Start at why you missed one of the most important tests ever."

"I missed the test because Georgina drugged me." _Might as well just get it out there._

Blair stopped dead. "_What?" _

Serena shivered at the icy hiss that had escaped her friend's lips. She sounded just as Chuck had while threatening the man who had assaulted Serena.

"I went out with her to a small bar. I only had a diet coke! I got up to call Dan, and she must have slipped me something because everything in between is total static." Serena really did not want to go over all of the details.

"But you're okay?"

"Yes," Serena hesitated, "Chuck helped me."

Blair flinched at the sound of the name, "Is that why you defended him so faithfully?" she asked, calmly, relaxing now. She breathed deep and continued walking. At this pace, they would miss A.P Calculus, but who really cared? S needed her. And she was inwardly grateful towards Chuck, though he was still, in her book, the biggest piece of filth that had ever been conceived. Oh whenever she found that bitch Georgina…

"Yeah," Serena murmured.

"Wait, what do you mean by _in-between_?" Blair looked at her.

"Can we please talk about this later, B?" Serena was still shaky over the incident, and just wanted to be as composed as possible when she finally decided to come out with it.

"Fine," the brunette huffed, "dinner. My place. Six o'clock."

"Deal," Serena laughed.

They continued walking, finally making it to the steps of Constance Billiard. They were an hour late.

"By the way," Blair snickered, Serena looked at her, "vacuity means something inane, senseless, or stupid".

Lunchtime in the courtyard of Constance Billiard was such an exhausting, and often enraging, event that Serena and Blair commonly took their break on the stairs of the Met. No one who wasn't invited at least a day before hand dared to even use the crosswalk connecting the two sidewalks because they never wanted to face the potential humiliation that could, and most likely would, befall them if they intruded on Blair Waldorf's free time.

This order of events never changed, and so there was always a slight uproar whenever Blair was feeling generous enough to allow a lower classman clearance to join her and Serena. Kati and Is also kept them company, that was, until they found out about Blair's break up with Nate, and the reason why. After her downfall, many people had worked up the nerve to take the twenty some steps to the Met and flaunt their success in front of Blair, who hardly paid them any mind.

Today was different, however.

When Blair and Serena arrived to the step that had become their third home (second being each other's apartments), they were surprised to find it barren of Constance uniform clad students. Only tourists flocked the stairs as usual, but even they had the common sense to stay away from the few feet of the third and fourth stairs. Blair cocked an eyebrow at lack of ogling teenagers, and sat down cautiously, assuming something was amiss. Serena, having so much on her mind as it was, plopped down in her designated spot, without a second's thought.

"So, how do you think you did on that sorry excuse of a pop quiz?" Blair inquired carefully, still full to bursting with curiosity over Serena's weekend adventures. She knew Serena wouldn't talk until dinner, so she wasn't even going to ask.

"Hmm?" Serena was too busy glancing this way and that. Blair sighed, under the impression that her blonde companion was watching out for Georgina.

Blair was only half right. Serena was petrified at the prospect of meeting Georgie, afraid of what Blair would do, and afraid of what Georgie would say. But she wasn't just looking for G. She hadn't seen Chuck all day, nor had she heard from him. She wasn't worried per se, she just found it odd that he hadn't requested a payment yet…whatever it may be; she tried not to wonder too much.

"Honestly, though," Blair had continued to ramble through Serena's jumbled thoughts, "I wonder why no one's around bothering us?"

"Because I told them not to," a drawling voice answered.

Blair jumped up immediately and shuffled a few steps upward behind Serena, glaring coldly at the voice's owner.

"Hey Chuck," Serena greeted as he sat down next to her. She knew the affect he had on Blair, and would never forgive him for hurting her, but she couldn't help but feel relieved now that he had shown himself. It felt as though the weight of Georgina had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Serena," he returned, "Blair," he smirked openly, causing the girl above to squirm. He prided himself on the fact that he still had that affect on her.

"Bass," she sniffed disdainfully, turning her attention to a flock of pigeons.

"So," he said, "how are you today?"

Serena took a drink of her water. "Better," she replied, nodding. Chuck nodded curtly, not failing to notice that Blair was watching the exchange with obvious interest.

"Glad to hear it," he decided now would be a good time to get a rise out of Blair and so he continued in a suggestive voice, "I've figured out a repayment you can give me."

"Okay, Bass, let's get one thing straight." Blair had stood and marched down to meet him; in turn he had stood as well.

"And what might that be," he asked, stepping closer.

Not anticipating this, Blair halted and backpedaled quickly, nearly stumbling over her bags.

Regaining her stance, Blair glared at him again. "Don't you dare even say things like that to her, when she's so obviously upset! You're only making her life worse." At this statement, Chuck closed the bit of space between them, his face three inches from hers. Blair froze.

"For your information," he stated softly but not without menace, "I probably saved her life." Blair's gaze left his face for a moment to look questioningly at Serena, who shuffled her feet nervously.

"So before you begin making false accusations, I suggest you learn the facts." Instead of backing away, Chuck stared at her.

"I-I-I j-just think that, S-S-Serena needs some down time," Blair faltered under his gaze. She fidgeted nervously, and her eyes, disobeying a direct order from her brain, flickered to his mouth more than once. Chuck noticed this and smirked once again. Toying with her, he leaned forward a tad more, invoking her eyes to close slowly, before he turned away.

Blair tensed and felt her face burn with embarrassment.

Serena had been about to get on Chuck's case for teasing Blair before she decided against it. She really did not want to get on his bad side now that she was on good terms with him.

"He is…ridiculous," Blair stammered. Serena rolled her eyes. Everyone but Blair could see that she still hurt over the loss of Chuck.

"Well, come on then, classes are starting again," she grabbed the confused girl's hand and led her across the street. She couldn't help notice that Blair glanced back at the Met more than once.


	3. Embarrassment is Key

A/N: Here's the next one! Let me know what you think! Please, any advice or comments are so appreciated. This is subject to slight revisions as well, but nothing too insane. Oh, and the fourth chap will be a while, as homework is outlandish and it PROM! weekend wooo!! Enjoy!

Chapter 3: Embarrassment is Key

**Hello my little puppets. I have another update for you, and trust me, you're gonna wanna read this one.**

**It seems a former Queen B still has her sting. Spotted: S and B having a cozy lunch on the steps of the Met as usual. Only difference you ask? A rather smug looking C joined them. S was open and friendly—a real shocker considering their sibling rivalry. I wonder what changed their minds? B, on the other hand, was very nervous and fidgety. Hmm…what are you thinking B? **_**She **_**was openly hostile, but then her mood changed when C got closer. Let's just say, C was looking **_**very **_**pleased, and B couldn't stop looking back when she left with S. **

**G still hasn't been spotted. Maybe she's gone for good. I know I wouldn't complain. N and V…oh, you didn't know? Well N seems to have a soft spot for charity cases now. That's right, ladies, he is no longer on the market…ah well, as my favorite Shakespearean play says: Men were deceivers ever.**

**Let's take some emails!**

**From: GG4LIFE**

I think I spotted G picking up a few Lower East Side public school guys the other day. She was pretty flirtatious, and they were eating it up, but she seemed like she was just working them over. Sound like her to you?

**GG4LIFE,**

**Nice screen name! Yeah, that sounds like it could be our G. Crap, I thought she was gone…**

**From: sadgrl**

You mean to say that N isn't single anymore? Damn it!

**sadgrl,**

That's what I mean to say.

**From: blondie01**

Regarding this morning's update, you're _way_ better than Manalo Blahnik.

**Blondie01,**

_No one _is better than Manolo Blahnik.

**Well, ta ta for now loyal subjects. I have dirt to dig up and fish to fry. Sounds like the All American cook out to me! You know you love me XOXO Gossip Girl.**

Dan Humphrey read the update over and over. _Serena and Chuck, friendly? Nate and Vanessa dating? And who the hell was this G chick everyone was talking about? _Just when he thought the Upper East Side couldn't get more out of whack, all of this happens. Was it secretly April Fools and nobody had told him?

He stood up and ran a hand through his hair. He hadn't heard from Serena at all yet. He had called her cell phone at least twenty times over the weekend, and even sucked it up and called her home phone, which Lily had answered. After an extremely nerve raking conversation, he deduced that Serena wasn't feeling well. He told Lily he'd come over, but she refused him point blank.

So then he decided to wait and talk to her today…only she never showed up. And then, hoping she had come in late, he had planned to see if she were at the Met at lunch, but was thwarted by his A.P Physics teacher, Mr. Bryant, when he asked Dan to come in at lunch and talk to the other teachers about his recent one hundred percent accurate physics project. It had taken a half hour, and Dan didn't get to see Serena, or question her about the SATs.

Something was definitely going on. Between his father's and Jenny's perpetual war against each other, Serena's odd behavior, and his nerves over the SATs, Dan was feeling screwed over by the world. It always seemed to him that his problems came in threes. It was the same ever since he was five.

His pet goldfish, Goldie, (how original), died. The next day, his grandmother from his dad's side passed away. She also happened to be Dan's favorite grandmother. And to top off a great month, his family was evicted and forced to move here. And while the whole fish thing wasn't as serious as the other two, it still had put strain on his five-year-old self. In response to his darkened mood, his mother, Allison, had purchased him his Cabbage Patch Kid, Cedric. For a while, it had worked. But when Allison left, Dan tossed the doll aside. And now he was just collecting dust, serving as a reminder of the horror from Dan's childhood that no one wanted to remember

Dan stretched and picked up his phone once again. He dialed Serena's number.

"Hello," Serena mimicked a voice mail tone, "you have reached your extremely apologetic girlfriend. Please leave a message after all the pleading and groveling. I'm sorry I haven't been there or told you anything that's been going on! I am the most horrible person alive, and I want to make it up to you. Please, please forgive me."

Dan smiled. He loved her voice, and her way of making him forget his anger with one drawn out breath.

"Hey, Serena, it's Dan," he decided to play along, "I just wanted to let you know that I've been worried about you. I hope you don't have plans tonight. I was thinking we could go to that little Thai place you love so much. Well, give me a call when you get the message, love you, bye." He hung up for good measure. He wanted her to paid a bit for leaving him in the dark for the entire weekend.

The phone rang only a second later.

"Yeeesss?" He asked.

"Daniel Humphrey! Don't you hang up on me ever again!" Serena squealed happily into the phone.

"I'm sorry, I believe you have the wrong number," Dan returned.

"Dan!"

"Okay, okay. So, what have you been up to?"

Dan paused when he heard a knock at the door. He walked over to open it, phone still at his ear. Opening the door, he found Serena standing there, as beautiful and lost as the day he met her.

"Flouncing through the scummiest places on Earth in search for sanity," Serena replied softly, "Let's just say, I found it at your doorstep."

Dan hung up the phone and pulled Serena into a long, gentle kiss. Afterwards, she held onto him tightly, sighing into his embrace.

"I am really sorry," she mumbled sadly.

"It's okay," Dan assured her, "Ready to talk?" When Serena nodded consent, Dan pulled her along to the couch. He then went over to the kitchen and prepared some coffee.

Serena clucked her tongue nervously, taking in the familiar surroundings. She loved the Humphrey's apartment. It was extremely homey. It was lived in. There was dust where dust should be and Serena thought it glittered delightfully in the fading sunlight.

She stood and folded her arms, still dreading Dan's reaction to what she was about to say. So far, Chuck and Blair were the only ones who knew, and so she knew she was safe from Gossip Girl for now. She walked around, admiring all of Rufus and Jenny's works of art. She always regretted that she hadn't spent more time in the creative field.

"Does Jenny still practice calligraphy?" Serena asked, remembering the gorgeous invitations Dan's younger sister had made at the beginning of the year.

"No, she's too busy practicing shopping and dining out," came a touchy reply.

"Ah, I see," Serena grinned, "Little J is growing up."

"No," Dan appeared with two mugs of coffee, "she's just growing bitchy."

Serena laughed and sat back down. "Oh, come one. She can't be any worse than I was!"

"Well, maybe you're right."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Serena intoned carelessly.

"All right, what's been going on?" He stared her down. He knew she wouldn't be able to take the eye contact.

"Okay, here's what happened."

Nate Archibald never thought he'd find a girl who didn't care about the newest color in fashion or latest brand of cosmetics. But Vanessa was a blessing on his nerves, and he knew that this was a much-needed vacation from the Upper East Side drama crap he was often forced into.

_Hell, I may make this vacation permanent, _he thought hazily as he and Vanessa cuddled on her bed. They were watching her latest film, one on banana peels in the public garbage cans, and he was surprisingly okay with it. He didn't quite understand it, and—he had to admit—it _was_ odd. But, although he never really got what it was that Vanessa was trying to say, he heard something coming through, and boy was it refreshingly soothing.

He yawned into her hair, which caused her to stare questioningly at him, assuming her movie was boring him. His response was a sleepy smile and a small, lingering kiss on her lips. She tasted different from Blair, but not unpleasantly so. _Blair_ tasted like cosmopolitans and Raspberry Rapture whatever-the-fuck-number-they-were-on-by-now lip-gloss. Vanessa tasted like mint bubble gum, Cherry Chapstick, and Dr Pepper.

That was another thing he loved about Vanessa Abrams. She wasn't into the _diet _beverages or the least fatty, fist sized bowl of salad. Nate could order as many freaking meat smothered pizzas as he wanted, and she just dove right in with him. She also wasn't disgusted at the prospect of a nice cold one. Nate always had a craving for normal beer, but instead had to drink the priciest wine or champagne. It was rather ridiculous.

Vanessa smiled at the conclusion of the kiss, and stopped the tape.

"Why'd you do that?" Nate pouted.

"Oh, your mind wasn't on the movie!" Vanessa mocked. She knew he didn't really get her complex ideas…hardly anyone but she and Dan did…but she appreciated that the wealthy Lacrosse player joined in enthusiastically. He was just tired right now.

They had been out all weekend, getting to know each other. He was way different from any up-state asses she had imagined. He seemed genuinely happy to meet some one who wasn't as pushy and high maintenance as Blair was. He had even told her this directly before cursing himself for being so tactless. Vanessa just laughed at his adorable ashamedness and told him to forget it; she believed it to be a compliment.

After apologizing a few more times, Nate took her to the movies to see the movie of her choice. Imagine his surprise when she picked Harold and Kumar: Escape from Guantanamo Bay and not some sappy chick flick like Made of Honor.

"We should finish it later though." Nate loved spending time with her; it didn't matter what they did.

"Deal," Vanessa conceded, kissing _him_ this time. She loved being near him…and kissing him too.

Serena walked quickly, breathing heavily. It was nearing midnight, and she was frightened of being alone on the New York streets nowadays.

Dan had taken the news hard. She hadn't expected any less.

He didn't say a word until the end though, waiting politely enough while she finished. He held her close afterwards, before it sunk in. Then he was up and pacing and growling under his breathe. It scared Serena, who had never seen him as angry as he was. He told her that she should go. At first, she thought he was angry with her, but he clarified that he just needed to think before finishing the conversation. Serena had nodded, and took her leave.

She kept close to the street, and away from alleys. She cursed the fat man who had harassed her. New York was _her _city, and she shouldn't have to be afraid of it. She stopped only to answer her phone, which started vibrating.

"Hey, Serena."

"Hey, Dan, feeling better?"

"Yeah, sorry I made you leave, I just didn't want to make myself look stupid in front of you," he stated drearily.

"That's okay, I know what will make us _both_ feel better," she could feel the smile tugging at her lips.

"That sounds—shoot, Jenny's home, she needs something. I'll call you back in five minutes."

Serena cracked up. He sounded really miffed that Jenny had interrupted their, ahem, conversation.

She continued her journey home, waiting eagerly for his call. She figured it would be safe enough to look in a store window, so she crossed the street to Bendel's. Spotting a few things that were definitely worth the money, Serena made a mental not to stop by tomorrow with Blair.

_Shit, Blair! _Serena yanked out her phone and checked her voice mails. There were about fifteen from Blair. _Oh, shit. _Serena berated herself. _Six o'clock. Dinner. Her place, you twit! _Serena remember the deal she had made earlier that day. How was she going to explain this to Blair?

The last call was from around eight, so Serena could safely interpret that the impatient girl had given up on her ditzy self. Her mood soared, however, when the phone rang.

Flipping it open, she spoke in a lustful tone that would make Dan crazy…or else piss off and already irate Blair… "I want you so badly right now."

As luck would have it, however, the stars were not in favor of Serena this night.

"Well," a deep, smug voice remarked, "that's the understatement of the century."

And all Chuck had really wanted to know was whether or not she was still doing okay.


	4. Making Choices

A/N: Okay, so I lied about how long this would take. So from now on, don't really listen when I say it might take a while, cuz I just put my homework off and do this instead, though I really shouldn't :) Anywho, the next chapter could be a little longer, because I haven't even started it. But don't quote me on that! Thanks to the wonderful writer/reviewer/beta reader/ friend/ fellow GG fanatic, gleechild! You rock!

Chapter 4: Making Choices

Serena van der Woodsen was hardly ever embarrassed. She had no reason to be, because no matter what she did and no matter what ended up on Gossip Girl, everyone would ultimately forget it, or think it were cool. In fact, there weren't enough moments in her life that were too humiliating to count on one hand. So far, returning to New York a year ago only to be shunned and ridiculed by Blair was the single example that stood out in her mind. Well… and when Blair found out about her sleeping with Nate, but she didn't like to dwell on that.

But, now, slowly and surely, Georgina was changing the number. The fear and pain that Serena had felt when waking up amongst strangers and in an unknown location was gradually abating into humiliation. She felt sick to her stomach because she always imagined what people might say if they found out about her being drugged. She constantly blamed herself these days for the situation. She knew now that she should have never listened to or believed Georgina. She should have left her in the dark when G got the call from that dealer. No, make that when she showed her face.

_That was your mistake, G. Thinking everything was going to be fine. Surely you kept up with Gossip Girl while you were gone! _

And now there _were_ enough incidences to count on one hand. And while it didn't bother Serena that she had accidentally told _Chuck _that she wanted him, it was the fact that he would never drop it. It was just another thing in her life that could have been avoided, if only she had checked the stupid number when he called. She could hear it now, "Oh, S, do you remember that time you_ begged_ to make your payment early?"

"Aw, speechless now that I'm paying attention?" Jolted from her terrifying daydream, Serena blanched. Chuck was clearly enjoying this, she knew.

"Come on sis, you need not be shy, we're not related by blood."

"Shut up," Serena failed to remain upbeat about it, "Do you really think I'd ever take your little innuendos to heart?"

Chuck was silent for a moment. "Not really, but one can always wish. Besides," he added as an after thought, "I love to watch you squirm."

Involuntarily, Serena twitched. _You are wrong, wrong, wrong! Seriously, what's your problem? I think I'll stop at a pharmacy and get you come meds, s_he mentally screamed at him.

"I suggest," Serena said frigidly instead, "that you get over yourself, and you do it soon, because I swear, you don't want my assistance." Immediately, Serena knew this was the wrong thing to say to Chuck Bass.

"But, I'd love to be under you," Chuck dutifully responded.

"Oh, they just keep coming, don't they?" Serena faked amusement.

"Hey, baby, you're the one setting yourself up," came a shameless answer.

"Um, as endearing as this is, was there a point to your call?"

"Why yes, but after all the dirty talk, my mind has strayed away," she could practically see the leer in his eyes, "perhaps if I could get it out of my system…care to help?"

"Help you get your head out of your ass, you mean?"

"Ah, now see, there are so many things I could say in reply to that," Chuck drawled evilly.

"You're a perverted ass, you know that?"

"Known and revered, sis."

"Seriously, you should come with a bell and a warning label: Caution: May Cause Infection," Serena snorted disgustedly.

"Bravo! That is the best you've done!" Serena was surprised to hear him laugh. And, was that _admiration _in his voice?

Serena just snorted again. "Okay, hanging up now."

"Oh, come on, don't you like our witty sparring anymore?"

"Not when it's midnight, and I'm waiting for a call from Dan, whom, by the way, is probably ticked at me now for not answering!" Serena shouted.

"Ah! Dumpty was going to call." It wasn't a question, more of a disheartened comprehension. Serena was intrigued for a moment longer.

"My, Chuck, I daresay you sound a bit disappointed." _Finally _it was her turn to inflict some damage. "Upset that you can't have me all to yourself?"

"Who wouldn't want you all to himself?" Chuck asked torridly. No way was she going to one up him.

His comeback had the effect he wanted. Serena growled in frustration and threatened to hang up once again before he decided he had had enough fun with her for one night.

"I know where Georgina is."

Nothing Chuck Bass had ever said before had made Serena want to find him so dreadfully. "I'll be right over."

Back at Chuck's suite he smiled and flipped his phone shut.

Blair sat on her bed, staring intently at her wall, picturing Georgina's face, and willing it to burst into flames. Her anger toward the skank hadn't reduced in the least, and now she had no idea where Serena was.

I swear, if G did anything else to you, S…

She jumped fantastically as Dorota shouted at her from the stairs. "Miss. Blair! There is a call waiting for you, I'm not sure who it is though."

"Thanks, Dorota!" Blair leapt forward and grabbed the house phone. "Hello? S?"

"Um, hey, Blair, it's Dan."

Blair blinked stupidly. "Oh, uh, hello?" she sighed exasperatedly, "Why are you calling _me_?"

"Well, Serena just left here, and I told her I'd call. And she isn't answering and I've tried numerous times." He sounded worried.

Understanding dawned on Blair. "Okay, I'll try her phone, and then her home phone. I'll let you know. Just, tell me if she shows up back at your place." She did her best to keep her usual bossy tone, but her voice shook a little.

"Okay, and tell me if she shows up at yours," Dan agreed.

"Alright," Blair said before hanging up.

"Urrgghh! Serena, where are you?" She snarled at the empty room. Grabbing her laptop, she checked Gossip Girl. Nothing new. _It should be a law that you answer your phone!_

Closing her eyes, Blair reached out and picked up her cell. _Only for you S, only for you…_

Nate groaned. His damn cell was ringing.

Vanessa laughed and threw it at him. She had been watching him sleep, having drifted off a short while after she had turned off the movie. Usually she tried not to sound like a cliché schoolgirl, but he really did resemble an angel.

He crawled to the end of her bed and fumbled for the annoying device. _Phones should be against the law, _he thought groggily. Finally finding the offensive thing, he clicked the receive button and growled, "What?" in a resentful voice.

Blair's heart didn't flutter at the sound of his voice, nor did it stop. It just sank. She hadn't wanted to call him. They were _done. _It was_ over. _She wanted nothing more from him. _It's not like I __ever __got anything anyway, _she reminisced sadly.

"Nate, its Blair."

Nate sat bolt upright, startling Vanessa. "What do you want?" he asked more loudly than he meant. _Why the hell is she calling me?_

"Have you seen or heard from Serena?" He didn't deserve her kindness and friendly greeting.

"No." he answered bluntly. She didn't deserve squat from him.

"Well, I can't find her and I was just wondering-,"

"Is something wrong?" he demanded nastily, "You wouldn't be calling me otherwise."

Blair felt tears begin to fall. It wasn't because she still had feelings for him. It wasn't because of the way he said it. It was because no one wanted anything to do with her. Even Dan was nervous around her. She only had Serena, but if something had happened…Blair Waldorf would have no one at all.

Which seemed selfish of her, but she was scared. Isolation can do that to a person.

"Nothing's wrong," she snapped, "just, let me or Dan know if you do hear, we have plans tonight."

She hung up on him. It was a lie. But she was good at lying to Nate. The next call on her list, however, wasn't as easy to deceive.

Serena didn't bother knocking on the door. She pushed her way through, doing a quick recon of what she was getting herself into. So far, there was nothing amiss. No drunken orgies or stupid bimbos running around.

It was odd, whenever it was quiet in a Bass apartment, almost frightening.

"Chuck?" Serena peeked around the corner to his bedroom and found nothing. She walked to the open bar and glanced around for a note, just in case he wasn't there. Finding nothing, she slipped over to the balcony door and slid it open.

"There you are," she grumbled, hitting him lightly with her purse in annoyance, "so, what's the deal with G?"

"What? No greeting kiss?" He grinned at her searing look.

"Chuck!"

"Alright," he put his hands up, surrendering; "I've heard through a reliable source that Ms. Sparks is currently residing in Soho, with some stoner musician."

Serena cocked an eyebrow and sat on one of the chairs by the railing. Chuck took the seat next to her, waiting for her reaction.

"Apparently," he went on when she didn't speak, "She passed out at a party. When she woke up he was the only one there, and they struck up quite the _bargain_."

Serena cast him an appalled look. _My god Georgina, you're such a slut!_

"Wait, how does your source know this when it was just G and the guy?"

"Well, I don't know," Chuck said sarcastically, "the guy probably boasted about it." Chuck snorted, thinking about how he'd probably boast just as much...if it were anyone other than Georgina.

"So, she's still in New York," Serena murmured, staring ahead with a distant look in her eyes.

"It would seem," Chuck muttered. He hated the bitch as well. He _had _lost his virginity to her when he was twelve, but that didn't condone the fact that she had decided to mess with his friends.

"Honestly though, Chuck," Serena stated as she rose to go inside, "the last time you obtained information regarding her from a "reliable source", it was a lie."

Chuck followed her to the bar. "Yes, well," he breathed lightly, "that supplier has since been replaced." He grabbed the liquor bottle she had picked up and set it back on the countertop. "I didn't think _you'd_ be drinking," he gave her a pointed glance.

"Well you thought wrong." Serena made a grab for the scotch, but Chuck snatched it away.

"Allow me to reiterate," he said firmly, "_I _don't think you should be drinking."

He steered her away from the bar, and sat her down on the couch. Not knowing what to do next, since he was always up for a girl drinking in his suite, he sat down across from her and asked, "So how did it go with Humphrey?" Assuming she had spoken with him.

Serena threw him a questioning look before sighing. "Alright I guess, he wasn't mad at me."

"Why would he be mad at you?"

"Well, I thought he'd be upset that I hadn't come to him sooner, or, at least called him instead of you—not that he wasn't grateful or anything," she hastened to explain, "He was just worried was all."

Chuck nodded, hardly daunted by Dan's reaction. He knew it wouldn't fly with the Lower East Sider when he found out that it was _Chuck Bass _who had played knight in shining armor to Serena's damsel in distress. He fell back against the cushions and closed his eyes. "So, what are you going to do about G?"

"Truthfully, I'm not going to bother if she doesn't show her fugly face again."

His eyes snapped open, "What?"

"Well, why should I waste my life chasing her when she's already made it enough of a living hell?"

"Which is exactly why you should find her!" Chuck glared, "Revenge is life's greatest satisfaction."

"Aside from sex and booze you mean?"

"Maybe," he contemplated, "but there will always be those who piss you off."

"True," Serena said, "So, I guess you better watch your back." She smiled pleasantly and stood to leave.

"Oh, ha, ha," Chuck smirked, also rising.

Just then, his phone rang.

"Wow."

"What is it?" Serena walked over to him.

"Why is Waldorf calling me?"

"Oh, Shit!" Serena shrieked, grabbing the phone from him. She punched the talk button.

"Blair!"

"It's about fucking time!" Chuck sniggered quietly as he heard Blair scream through the phone. Serena smacked him on the shoulder and walked around the couch. He followed her, listening attentively.

"Blair, let me explain-,"

"No! You listen to me S," came a shout of fury, "I swear, if you don't start answering the phone, I'm calling the police! Dan and I are worried sick! We don't need any more Georgina mishaps! Got that? Now, if you don't mind, why the hell are you with Bass?" With each breath she had drawn, Blair had grown an octave higher, so that Serena had to hold the phone away from her ear.

Chuck, who had been laughing hysterically at the current change in events, grabbed the phone from her grasp.

"Waldorf," he barked, "why don't you do that thing you did whenever Nathaniel pissed you off and stay broodingly silent?"

Silence met his suggestion.

"Bass?"

"Yes, Blair?"

"SHUT UP!" She screeched so loudly into the phone, Chuck thought he'd gone deaf.

"Jesus Christ, Waldorf, what's your problem?" He yelled back at her.

"YOU!"

"Aw, come on Waldorf, you know you love me."

"No, in fact, I worship all that causes you pain and disquiet," the frenzied girl snapped.

"No, you don't," he returned seriously, "You worship the air I breathe."

"You wish," came a wary reply.

"Losing your touch I see? No clever rebuttals? I have to say, I'm disappointed Blair, maybe I should come over and work with you on your comebacks, _one on one."_

Blair's blood froze. She clutched the phone, clinging to his every word, her breath quickened.

"Ah, struck silent again I see. Let me guess which memory of us is running through your head—hey!"

Serena had snuck up behind him and shoved him into the wall, reclaiming the phone.

"If you wanted it rough!" He winced as he rubbed his head.

Rolling her eyes, Serena spoke to Blair. "I'm sorry, Blair! But Chuck called and said he knew where Georgina was, I had to meet him!"

"I guess you're forgiven," Blair replied airily.

"Please, B, I am sorry!" Serena pouted.

"Oh, just get your ass over here, tomorrow, six o'clock!"

"Definitely, see you then, bye!"

She hung up and tossed the phone to Chuck. "Thanks for the info on G, but I'm not going to worry."

"Well, you should. Aren't you going to do anything to her?"

Serena turned to him. "That's what I have you for," she winked before exiting.

"I've always loved the dirty work."

"I know," Serena began walking down the stairs, him watching, "And I have true confidence in your abilities."


	5. It Isn't Over Yet

**A/N: I know, I'm horrible. I have no excuses except for lack of wanting to write. But here you go guys. And I'm even including a small review of previous chapters so you don't have to re-read. Again, I'm sorry.**

Chap 1: Serena wakes up to find no Georgina. Instead she finds Kyle, who apparently spent the night with her. He insists nothing happened (and nothing did). She's in Cal's Motel where a greasy fat man is eyeing her up. She realizes that she's missing the SAT's. She calls Chuck who immediately comes to get her. Fat man harasses her, and Chuck stops him. Chuck gives her a ride home. They have a moment of understanding.

Chap 2: Blair wants to know what happened to Serena. Serena only tells her that Georgina drugged her, and promises to tell her more at dinner at 6. During lunch at the Met, Blair is bursting with curiosity, but knows she shouldn't press the matter. Serena is terrified of meeting up with Georgina, and also worried about Chuck wanting some sort of repayment. Chuck shows up but only asks her if she's okay, and she says yes. Blair confronts Chuck who teases her. Serena and Blair leave, and Blair keeps looking back.

Chap 3: Dan reads a Gossip Girl entry about Nate and Vanessa. He also finds out that Chuck and Serena are being nice to each other. He calls Serena for the umpteenth time and she comes over and explains what happened. Meanwhile, Nate is silently comparing Vanessa to Blair, and deciding that he is relieved to be with someone like Vanessa. They are at her place watching one of her videos. Serena is walking down the street waiting for Dan to call back, and realizes she forgot about Blair. The phone rings and its Chuck.

Chap 4: After some witty sparring, Chuck tells Serena he knows where G is. Serena arrives at Chuck's and they discuss Georgina. Blair is pissed off and gets a call from Dan who is worried. Blair calls Nate who wants nothing to do with her. She doesn't want him either. Next, she calls Chuck, but Serena answers. She apologies, and tells her she'll come over tomorrow. Chuck regains the phone and teases Blair some more, but is stopped by Serena. Serena leaves after telling Chuck he can deal with Georgina.

* * *

**Chapter 5: It isn't over yet**

Georgina Sparks liked to believe that she was the ideal example of the perfect female teenager. The perfect beauty. The perfect seductress. The perfect manipulator. The perfect deceiver. The perfect sex goddess. To sum it all up: The perfect Bitch.

After all, not a day went by where she didn't make _someone's _girlfriend or wife jealous. No, she was the modern Renaissance woman through and through.

And today was no different. She had woken up in yet another man's bed, happy to see that the guy in question had a goofy smile plastered to his sleeping face. Georgina smirked. She _did_ aim to please.

Surveying the room, she noticed several bongs and used joints littering the floors and tables. Georgina smirked even more at that. Maybe it wasn't she who had made the guy as high as he looked.

She scooted to the end of the bed and fumbled for an unused joint. She also searched for some sort of light source. Failing to find one, she threw the piece of paper away from her and snorted. She rolled onto her back and stretched. Next, she grabbed her cell and checked her messages. Frowning when she found nothing from Serena, she snapped it shut.

Serena still hadn't called. Georgina felt no guilt in what she had done to the newly changed girl. She had hardly cared when the blonde had taken off with some schmuck from the Bronx either. It was, of course, typical Serena.

There was also the fact that she had learned from the schmuck (named Kyle), that Serena had flipped out the next morning and left.

"_After she ran off, I stuck around to watch her since she was so distraught," Kyle relayed. _

At this point, Georgina had rolled her eyes, wondering why the guy hadn't tried to get lucky that night. Usually when S was around a guy, they made it a lifelong goal to jump her bones.

"_While I was watching her, she made a phone call to some guy," Kyle then mentioned, "She called him Chuck."_

When she had heard this, Georgina's interest was immediately heightened.

_Why in the world did you call _him_, S? _She had wondered suspiciously. Chuck was, in fact, the only person Georgina knew who hadn't changed drastically while she was away. _Good old Chuck, I never have to worry about you changing, do I?_

But had Serena not gone on about what such a great boyfriend this Dan person was? Georgina barely spared Dan too much thought though. She stored the Chuck information away for later reference—or blackmail—whichever came first.

Which brought Georgina to now. She decided that as soon as she ditched the idiot lying beside her, she would call S.

As if sensing her verdict, the guy twitched and woke.

"Hey," he grinned in that stoner boy drawl.

"Hey, baby," Georgina, crooned, sidling up next to him. He smiled hugely at this, and wrapped his arms around her.

"I was wondering," Georgina said sweetly, "If I could hang out here for a few hours, maybe?" Her tone, mixed with the motion of her hand running up and down his chest, pretty much answered the question for him.

"Hell, yeah," he muttered, closing his eyes, "You can stay as long as you need to."

"Great!" Georgina clapped her hands together and jumped up. She wandered over to her pile of clothes, lying precariously on a chair. She pulled them into her arms asking, "Where's your shower?"

"I'll show you," the boy yawned, "Mind if I join you?"

Georgina nodded, "Of course you can."

* * *

A few hours later, Georgina was on the road. Stoner man had left to play a gig at some dive hole, and she was free to escape.

Georgina often did this to men. She stuck around long enough to break some hearts and forget some names. Well, not forget, necessarily, since most of the time she never asked for a name. Some people called this practice "whoring" but Georgina frowned upon that term. It wasn't like she ever demanded payment for her "services". No, she preferred to call it "testing the waters". After all, she was young. And didn't older folks always insist that young people shouldn't settle for just anyone?

Really, the world was just one big congregation of hypocrites.

While she was walking, she decided to try calling Serena. If she wasn't going to bother letting Georgina know how much fun she had Friday night, than Georgina would just find out herself. And she was in luck. School was out for the day, so Serena would be free to chat. She sat down on a nearby bench and dialed the number she knew so well that it was her number one speed dial.

"Hello?"

Georgina smiled at hearing her friend's voice.

"Hey, S! So what have you been up to since our big night out?"

On the other end, Serena froze.

* * *

"Serena? Are you there?"

Serena was so dumbstruck; she actually removed the phone from her ear and double-checked the call number. She really had to start doing this _before_ answering.

"Uh, S?"

The frazzled blonde slowly pulled the phone back to her ear. "Wha—what do—," her voice faltered and cracked.

"Aw! S! You're so excited to hear from me you're speechless? I'm so flattered. And we have a lot to discuss. So I was thinking we could have another girl's night out tomorrow night. I just heard of this ultra hot club called—,"

As Georgina continued to yammer away, Serena was recalling everything that had happened. Either G was just totally slow on the uptake, or she simply did not care that her so-called best friend had a terrifying weekend. The latter hurt some, because Georgina had been an amazing friend way back when. But now she was just a tick that wouldn't fall off no matter how much Serena burned it.

"—and then I totally just left his stoned ass in some dive down here. Isn't that funny?"

It took a moment for Serena to realize that Georgina was now talking about something entirely different from what she had started on.

"S? S, are you okay?"

That was the final straw.

"Okay? _Okay_? Like hell I'm okay! You drugged me!"

Serena ignored the odd looks she was getting from passersby. If they only knew what kinds of things she was _refraining _from saying…

"I have been working my ass off for a year, in order to get somewhere beneficial in life. And I finally manage to do that, when poof! You come out of the woodwork and single-handedly destroy every good thing I've accomplished. So no, I'm not okay. I'm pissed off and done with you, bitch!"

Silence permeated the other end.

Serena was panting hard at her outburst. She had told Chuck she wouldn't do anything about G, but she couldn't help it.

"Serena, I don't understand," Georgina's voice seemed to break, "Why are you treating me this way?"

"What? I didn't make it clear enough? Well, then here it is plain and simple: I. Hate. You. Leave. Me. Alone. And. Never. Contact. Me. Again."

"Wait! S, I thought we were friends!"

"Yeah, I thought so too, but apparently you didn't get the memo. Friends don't drug friends and leave each other with some strange guy!"

"But, you two were really into each other! I didn't want to interrupt your good time. S, I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry."

Serena knew what she was doing. Playing the Please-forgive-me-I can't-help-that-I-do-the-things-I-do-I-have-no-other friends-or-family card.

"No Georgina. I'm done listening to you."

"But you're my B.F.F"

"I wanted to trust you G, I really did. I wish you would just change. But you're unwilling to even try. I know we'd be on solid ground if you would just try. I hate losing you, because I know you used to be better than this. Maybe fun loving, but not psycho."

"I can try! I can try for you!" Georgina was whimpering desperately now. She had never thought S would give up on her like this.

"No. You won't try. You had me fooled once Georgina, but I'm not going down this road again."

"But," Georgina wailed through what sounded like tears, "You're all I've got!"

"Well," Serena coldly smirked, "Now you've got nothing." And she hung up.

Back on the bench outside of Stoner Man's apartment building, Georgina closed her phone and smiled wickedly.

* * *

It was five thirty and Blair was pacing in her room. Tonight she intended to find out everything that had happened to Serena.

_I can't believe she didn't come to me first. I mean Chuck? Even he knows before I do. And I know she's already told Humphrey._

Blair stopped pacing and checked Gossip Girl. Still no reports. At least Chuck had kept quiet. But she was still worried about Georgina. Blair knew that any little thing could set the girl off, and Serena did not need any negative publicity.

"Miss Blair!" Dorota called, "Miss Serena is on her way up!"

"Thanks, Dorota!" Blair sat on her bed and waited for her friend.

An hour later, Serena and Blair were lying on Blair's floor with a spread of pizza, cookies, and chips laid out all around them. Blair knew she shouldn't be eating any of this, but strangely enough, she felt no need to purge. She supposed it was because this was Serena's problem, and that she should be there for her friend.

And she couldn't do that if she were in the bathroom.

"Still, I wish you had called me instead," the shorter girl pouted.

"I know, but I didn't want you to miss the SAT's. You couldn't have just walked out of them. Nor could Dan. So I called the only person I knew would have paid someone to take it for him."

Blair rolled her eyes. Chuck was so lazy. He was unmotivated, and unwilling to work for anything. No wonder they had left things the way they had. He hadn't been willing to give her a chance to explain herself. He hadn't tried. _She_ had. None of their problems were her fault…

"Well, at least Georgina hasn't given you anymore grief," Blair sympathized.

Serena averted her eyes.

"Hasn't she?"

The blonde looked at her friend. "She called me today."

"What happened?"

"It was right after school and I was on my way home. She called and acted as if nothing had happened. I told her off. I told her I wanted nothing to do with her anymore and that she should never contact me again. Of course, she started in on her 'I'm so sorry; I'll change' spiel."

Blair nodded in understanding. People like Georgina made her sick. As soon as things weren't going their way, they tried to lie their way out of it. G couldn't just face the problems she created for herself head on. She never took responsibility for anything that happened as result of her existence.

"Anyway," Serena continued, sighing, "I told her she had nothing now that she pushed me so far away, and I hung up on her. She hasn't tried calling me since."

"Then why do you look so sad? You did the right thing, Serena! She deserves no remorse." Blair didn't understand why Serena seemed like she wished she could take it all back.

"It's just that, she was my best friend back then. We were inseparable. And no matter how crazy things got, we never did anything beyond fathoming. She wasn't like _this_."

"You mean a manipulative, psycho slut?"

Serena laughed, "Yeah, I guess you could call it that."

They both laughed happily. Serena was so grateful for Blair just then. The threat of Georgina was past, and they could look to the future now.

"I'm gonna call Dan real quick. I promised I'd tell him that everything was okay."

"Sure," Blair shrugged.

Serena dialed the number and waited.

"Calling again?" Dan sounded furious.

"Dan, I—,"

"Save it Serena, you made yourself pretty clear earlier. What? You want to say more?"

"Dan! What—?"

"It's over Serena." Click.

Serena sat shocked. She was too dazed to even cry, since she had no idea what just happened.

"Serena?" Blair was waving a hand in front of her face, "Are you all right?"

The phone rang.

Serena opened it. It could have been Dan ready to say, "Just kidding!"

"Hello?"

"Hey S. Get any interesting calls lately?"

"Georgina," Serena whispered. Now the tears were falling. "What did you do?"


	6. Not to be Outdone

**What does one say when she knows how terrible she's been?**

**I suppose she just hangs her head in shame and posts a chapter as a peace offering.**

* * *

Chapter 6: Not to be Outdone

Blair watched the tears falling from her friend's eyes, hating the girl on the other end of the phone more than she'd ever hated anyone before.

It took all the control she could muster not to rip the phone from Serena's shaking hand and brutally threaten Georgina Sparks. But, first, Serena needed to get answers from the bitch.

She waited while Serena listened.

"Me?" Georgina asked sweetly, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know very well," Serena sobbed, not caring that her pride was broken and bleeding, "Dan just called and dumped me."

Blair's mouth gaped open.

"Serena! I'm so sorry," Georgina replied.

"No, you're not. What did you do?"

"It's not what I did, S, it's what you did."

Georgina hung up.

* * *

Dan lay face down on his bed, going over the past hour. He felt sick.

"_Hey, Serena, hope you're still feeling okay," he answered after his phone had rung._

"_Okay? Okay? Like hell I'm okay!"_

_Dan frowned, wondering what Georgina had done to further humiliate Serena._

"_I'm sorry Serena—"_

"_I'm pissed off and done with you!"_

"_What?" _

"_What? I didn't make it clear enough? Well, then here it is plain and simple: I. Hate. You. Leave. Me. Alone. And. Never. Contact. Me. Again." _

_Dan's eyes stung and his heart quickened._

"_I don't…Serena, what the hell are you talking about? Did I do something wrong?"_

_He felt as though his heart had plummeted into his stomach. _

"_I'm done listening to you."_

_He had never felt so confused before. Something was wrong, yet Serena sounded dead serious. _

_Suddenly he thought of how his life seemed so dreadfully askew. His sister, Jenny, wasn't talking to him or his father, he barely had any real friends, and his father was distant and forlorn. And his mother…he hadn't spoken to her since she'd abandoned them…_

_Serena was the only stable, lovely thing he had. And it sounded as though she was leaving him too. _

"_Serena, please," his voice hitched, "You're all I have."_

_Serena's cold response shook him: "Well, now you've got nothing." The dial tone buzzed in his ear._

What was worse than that discussion was the searing hate that welled up inside him after he finally hung up his own phone.

He was astonished that he didn't feel grief. He simply hated her. Hated that she'd end it like that…for no apparent reason at all. Hated that after all the things she had said, how he had turned her life around, she'd so easily slip back into her old ways. He decided that everything she had ever told him had been lies.

His mood, considerably darkened by the shock of reality, caused him to lash out when she called twenty minutes later. He hadn't let her speak, refusing to care that she sounded just as confused as he had when she had called first.

And now that the initial blow had cleared away, Dan turned over her disjointed words in his head. "_Dan? What?"_

Glaring into his pillow, he denied himself to think about it. Because if he did, he'd just make excuses for her. And he was tired of making excuses for people.

* * *

Serena cried.

Blair just sat, hugging her, trying to make her feel better, damning Georgina to hell.

After a while, Blair began to cry along with Serena. Dan had been such a nice boy. Perfect for the blonde now sniffling in her arms. Whatever Georgina had done to upset Dan enough to break Serena's heart had to have been very serious. Dan adored Serena…mere rumors wouldn't have ruined their relationship.

"Serena, I know you're hurting, but we have to do something about her."

Serena nodded silently.

Blair continued. "We have to get her out of your life." Her heart sank as she made her next suggestion. "And we could use help."

Serena slowly uncurled from her friend's hug. "Chuck?" Her voice was dry.

Blair nodded sadly. "He's the only one on speaking terms with us. He's the only one with the means to make Georgina disappear. Unfortunately…"

Serena managed a small smile at her friend's discomfort. "He's not so bad, you know."

Blair snorted. "Maybe to you he's not."

"What about Nate?"

Blair shook her head. "I called him earlier to find out where you were and he nearly bit my head off. Besides, he's dating Vanessa, who is friends with Dan…" She trailed off uncertainly.

Serena's eyes watered threateningly, but she nodded. "True. Can you call Chuck? I need to go wipe my eyes."

Blair agreed reluctantly. Before Serena could rise, however, her phone rang again. This time she checked to see who was calling. It was her mother.

"Mom?"

"Serena, you have to come home right now. I have to talk to you."

"What's wrong?"

"Just come home, okay?"

"Alright, sure."

She looked at Blair. "I'll have to deal with Georgina later. That was my mom. She wants me to come home now."

Blair frowned questioningly at Serena.

Serena shrugged. "I have no idea what she wants to talk about, but I'd better go. Thanks for talking to me Blair."

Blair hugged her best friend good bye and watched her leave. Serena might not be able to do anything about Georgina Sparks at the moment, but Blair Waldorf was good and ready to plan her demise.

* * *

Serena found Chuck sitting outside of her and her mother's apartment when she arrived there ten minutes later.

He was slouched in a chair, hands buried in his pocket, staring at his shoes. He looked up as she approached.

"Hey, sis," he said. He noticed her eyes.

"Sparks giving you hell again?"

Serena managed a small nod, not sure she wanted to dive into Georgina's latest scheme with Chuck.

"What did she do?" He straightened up, no doubt realizing it was worse than before.

"I'll tell you later…why are you here?"

Chuck's brow furrowed, deliberating on whether he should question her further. He decided against it.

"My dad's in there with your mom. Something's up. I swear if she's pregnant…I'm not splitting the Bass fortune three ways."

Serena rolled her eyes. "Who said I wanted a piece of your fortune, anyway?"

"Well, I'm not splitting it two ways."

"Pig."

"You know you love me."

Serena chuckled. "I don't think my mom would have a child out of wed-lock nowadays…she'd not want the scandal."

Chuck nodded. "True. So what do you think they want?"

As if to answer him, the doors suddenly opened and Lily beckoned them in.

Bart was sitting with his head in his hands.

Chuck and Serena stood side by side, waiting for an explanation, neither of them quite sure they wanted to hear one.

"There's no easy way to say this," Serena's mother began. "Bart and I are breaking off the engagement."

Chuck nearly laughed. It sounded like it had been easy enough to say.

Serena's eyes widened. "Really? Why?"

Bart stood. "We realized a few things. It's just not—logical to get married," he said cryptically.

Chuck walked to a vacant chair and sat down. "So, that's it. Life goes back to normal?"

"You could be a little more sympathetic," his father barked at him.

Chuck tilted his head to one side and regarded his father carefully. "Why? You guys don't seem to be weeping."

Bart was about to launch into a tirade when Lily stopped him. "He's right, Bart. We're all adults here and we both agreed about this."

Serena sat down across from Chuck. "I'm sorry, mom, Bart."

Both of them just nodded as though the whole thing was tragic. Serena had never thought they'd be a great couple anyway. She wasn't surprised they were breaking off the engagement. Her mother would hardly have wanted another divorce under her belt, nor would she have wanted a wedding day catastrophe.

"So, I suppose that's it then." Bart took his jacket off the coat rack. He shook hands with Serena and Lily before nodding to Chuck and leaving.

"Always such the businessman," Chuck muttered disgustedly.

Lily turned to Serena. "I'm glad you understand, sweetheart." She was still acting like Serena had been devastated. Serena couldn't give a rat's ass.

So she just nodded.

"I'm going to go over to the Waldorf's to tell Blair's mother."

Serena looked at Chuck disbelievingly as Lily left. "Can you believe them?"

"Shockingly, yes." Chuck stood and walked to the bar. "Drink?"

"Yes, please."

As Chuck set about mixing drinks he asked, "So what did Georgina do?"

The incredulity of the current situation vanished as Serena remembered Dan.

"Dan broke up with me."

Chuck looked up. "We're going to need stronger stuff." He bent down under the cabinet that held the expensive liquor. As he rummaged, he continued questioning Serena.

"Did he say why?"

"No. But as soon as he hung up, Georgina called and asked me if I had any interesting phone calls lately." Serena fell into a chair closer to a bar and accepted the drink Chuck handed to her.

Chuck sipped his own as he thought about the situation.

"Did you figure out what she did?"

"Nope." Serena sighed. What _had_ Georgina done? She didn't know Dan. She didn't know where he lived or what he looked like even.

"She did something." Chuck said it as a true fact.

"Yep."

"I'll find out what she did. Have you tried talking to Humphrey since?"

Serena shook her head, forcing the tears to stay away. Chuck wasn't allowed to see her cry so soon after he had already rescued her.

"Well, I'll deal with Sparks, you should go talk to him. I take it Waldorf is on the case too?"

"Yes, I mean, most likely."

"Well, as much as I don't want to, I figure we'll have to team up to take down this bitch." Chuck was staring off into space, already formulating a plan of attack. "First, I'll have to find out where she is. I'll check Gossip Girl's site, then call Waldorf."

Serena felt a rush of gratitude and affection for Chuck. He wasn't one you wanted to cross. His diabolical mind was something you wanted on your side.

"Thank you, Chuck."

"No problem, sis," he paused. "I guess I can't call you that anymore."

"Aw, and here I was getting used to it."

Chuck grinned. "Oh well, it'll make it less awkward when we're finally an item."

Serena sneered at him. "You wish."

"Hey, my wish has been half granted so far."

Serena thought immediately of Dan and glared at Chuck. "Thanks a lot, jackass." She stood and splashed the remainder of her drink in his face before slamming the glass on the bar and storming to the door. "By the way, this is my apartment, so you better be gone when I get back."

Unperturbed, Chuck wiped his face off and went to the nearby computer.

"Time to find out where and how you've been spending your time, G."

**Sighted. B waiting anxiously outside her apartment building for someone. Who could it be? I'm dying to know.**

Chuck scanned the articles, looking for that familiar, cumbersome initial.

**N and V were spotted getting cozy in the park today.**

**J was with some older girls at the mall.**

Finally:

**G was seen at the center of Time Square entering a building called Garrison and Co. Wonder what she's doing there? Probably Garrison and Co…**

Chuck pulled up a search engine and searched the company. It seemed they specialized in technology used in recording music.

Chuck chewed his lip for a while, thinking over things. He should have asked Serena how she'd spent her whole day…if she had talked to Georgina earlier. And now she was so thoroughly pissed at him, she'd ignore him for days.

So, Chuck, being who he was, did the next best thing, not caring how he made his contact feel.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Waldorf, could I trouble you with an invitation to a late night snack?"


End file.
